can't activate win xp

Having purchased a full oem version of xp , I can't activate it . Microsoft tech support have told me it has to suppied with a new pc and I should not buy oem and should buy my operating software from pc world or the like . Is this correct or is there a way to activate my os ?Otherwise , it looks like I'm going to have to reinstall everything every month ! Please advise . Regards , Andy .

you can buy oem versions with a stick of ram or other hardware perfectly legalyou can activate over the phone does not take long & you do not need to register to do thisIt does take concentration listening to the numbers after reading your installation numbers to the operator from your PC a full 8 set of numbers & typing them inIf anyone has had to format the main Hard Drive this process is often used to re activate XPXP should come up with tel numbers which is best written down during the reg activation program and you should be navigated to the installation numbers as long as you can talk on the phone as well as looking at your PC it easy peasy Often the operator will guide you to the installation page so they have the numbers to identify your PC

Yep as kellysbouncas says, perfectly legal with certain items of hardware, or a new PC, but not on its own. This disc has probably been activated before, or is a known "dodgy" product key. It will probably never activate because of this.By the way it will probably refuse to reinstall again. I have seen where a non-activated version of XP bombs at the licence screen when a reinstall is attempted. I think your only choice is to by a full RETAIL version of XP and throw away the illegal copy you have.

I have one of my pc's running an OEM version of XP Home and have not had any problem activating on line,which I have done on four or five occasions following upgrades/sytem reformats etc.Always activates first time and not needed to phone Microsoft,ever.

The copy was factory sealed.With coa and product key . I bought it off ebay from a reputable source . It wont activate. He sent me another , that wont activate . It does say on the front of the start up booklet "only to be supplied with a new pc . The tech guy at microsoft said thats why it wont install and somthing about a missing licence . It was installed onto a clean formatted hard drive.its running now but with only 16 days left untill ....

Try downloading Belarc Advisor click here and see if it lists any manufacturer/model number in the "system model " details.I wonder if the disc you have is dedicated to a particular pc rather than a generic oem disc which is not locked to a computer until activated.

Are you trying to install this on a computer that already has an operating system installed? If yes, then that is the reason you are unable to install this one. As you comment, it does say "only to be supplied with a new pc". OEM versions of Windows are designed to be installed on virgin disks or re-installed only where the same copy has been installed previously.